The Michigan Golf Alliance has confirmed with the Office of the Governor that two riders are allowed per golf cart starting June 8 in accordance with restaurant regulations.

Gatherings

Indoor social gatherings and events among persons not part of a single household are permitted immediately, but may not exceed 10 people. (Section 5)

Outdoor social gatherings and events among persons not part of a single household are permitted immediately, but only to the extent that:

The gathering or event does not exceed 100 people, and

People not part of the same household maintain six feet of distance from one another. (Section 6 a and b)

Day camps for children may open as of June 8.

Public swimming pools may open as of June 8, provided that they are outdoors and limit capacity to 50% of the bather capacity limits. Indoor public swimming pools must remain closed.

Indoor gyms and fitness centers remain closed. (Section 12b)

Retail

Stores that were closed under Executive Order 2020-96 may reopen on June 4. Such stores may then resume normal operations, subject to local regulation and to the capacity constraints and workplace standards described in Executive Order 2020-97 Section 6 or any order that may follow from it.

Instruction

The Michigan Golf Alliance confirmed with the Office of the Governor that clinics and camps may resume immediately (reference Section 14).

The restrictions imposed by sections 12 and 13 of this order do not apply to any of the following: Outdoor fitness classes, athletic practices, training sessions, or games, provided that coaches, spectators, and participants not from the same household maintain six feet of distance from one another at all times during such activities, and that equipment and supplies are shared to the minimum extent possible and are subject to frequent and thorough disinfection and cleaning.

PGA Professionals, and other eligible golf industry professionals, can apply for Phase 2 starting today. This has a longer application process and will distribute grants of up to $3,500 as reviewed and approved by E4E.

5/23/20

Clarification on Executive Orders 2020-96 and 2020-97

Governor Whitmer announced that retailers and auto dealerships can open by appointment beginning Tuesday, May 26.

Currently, golf shops can be open for curbside retail. Beginning May 26, retail shops can open for appointment with maximum capacity of 10 people or less as stated in 2020-96, Section 11(q). While the order does not define “by appointment”, it also does not prohibit a “walk up” appointment. All places of public accommodation under 2020-69 are still closed. Golf shops choosing to open for retail sales should review 2020-97, Section 6.

Effective immediately, social gatherings of no more than 10 people are allowed with social distancing guidelines in place according to 2020-96, Section 8. The revised order does not reopen restaurants and bars in Regions 1-5 and 7. See Executive Order 2020-69.

A notable change was added to 2020-97, Section 1 (l) from previous order 2020-91 regarding procedures for employees to return to work following a positive test of COVID-19.

Workers necessary to prepare a workplace to follow the workplace standards described in Executive Order 2020-96, Section 11o and to otherwise ready the workplace for reopening are allowed.

The Michigan Golf Alliance continues to lobby for Regions 1-5, and 7 to allow alcohol to be sold for on course consumption.

5/21/20

The Michigan Golf Alliance confirmed with the Office of the Governor that Executive Orders 2020-91 and 2020-92 apply to golf operations in Regions 6 and 8 as follows:

Restaurants/grill rooms are allowed to be open at golf courses up to a max of 50% capacity as stated in 2020-91, Section 8.

Food and beverage, including alcohol, can also be sold for consumption on the golf course.

Golf Shops can be open for retail as long as they monitor and limit capacity as stated in 2020-91, Section 6.

Two riders are allowed in a golf cart.

The partial reopening will take effect on Friday, May 22, at 12:01am. Cities, villages, and townships may choose to take a more cautious course if they wish: the order gives them the authority to limit the operation of restaurants or bars within their jurisdiction, including restricting such establishments to outdoor seating.

Please read through 2020-91 and 2020-92 for a full list of requirements and have a response and preparedness plan in place.

This week the Governor issued an Executive Order that laid out regulations for employers to provide a comprehensive written COVID-19 Response and Preparedness plan.

All businesses or operations that are permitted to require their employees to leave their homes or residences for work under Executive Order 2020-92, and any order that follows it, must, at a minimum:

Develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, consistent with recommendations in Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

By June 1, 2020, or within two weeks of resuming in-person activities, whichever is later, a business’s or operation’s plan must be made readily available to employees, labor unions, and customers, whether via website, internal network, or by hard copy.

Associations in the Michigan Golf Alliance have received specific questions from members about Executive Order 2020-77 asking what the language means for golf operations and where to find best practices and guidelines. We wish to provide the latest FAQ, operational resources and answers to commonly asked questions.

The following FAQ for Executive Order 2020-77 was recently updated at Michigan.gov:

Q: Are golf courses allowed to be open?

A: Yes, subject to specific conditions as required by this order and Executive Order 2020-69, governing places of public accommodation. Tee times must be scheduled and payments must be made, online or by phone. Tee times must be spaced to avoid multiple foursomes from clustering or gathering at any stage of the course, and players must remain six feet from one another at all times.

Workers at golf courses who perform work that is traditionally and primarily performed outdoors, including groundskeepers and workers who prepare and provide golf carts and other equipment for safe and sanitary use, are permitted for in-person work as needed. Clubhouses and pro shops must remain closed, and food and beverage may be sold for takeout.

Nothing in the order prohibits a golf course from arranging for an accommodation for a golfer with a disability who requires one under state or federal law; confirmation of and arrangements for any such necessary accommodation must be carried out with the course in advance, online or by phone. Under the order, all work must be carried out remotely to the greatest extent possible, and any in-person work that is permitted must be done in accordance with the mitigation measures and heightened social-distancing rules required under section 11(i).

Golf and Executive Order 2020-77

Golf is currently included in a group of outdoor businesses that are allowed to operate while following safety precautions outlined in section 11 (a-i) of Executive Order 2020-77. Facilities that choose to open must create a preparedness plan and response plan along with operational procedures to protect their employees and customers. The elimination of gatherings, steps to encourage proper social distancing, and sanitization of equipment, facilities, and touch points should also be outlined in the procedures.

Although these documents were developed with a broad national focus, they offer additional guidance that may help with planning by individual facilities. Each state is approaching re-opening differently, and the guidelines in these programs are meant to provide suggestion on how to operate under executive orders that are currently in place. The Michigan Golf Alliance encourages facilities to seek their own legal advice on their preparedness plan and the implications of executive orders.

The most recent FAQ specifically approves work by employees who prepare and provide golf carts. Phase 1 in Back2Golf recommends single rider carts, two riders if from the same household, and two riders if a plexiglass shield or plastic clear barrier cart dividers are in place and each rider wears a face covering while in the cart. The driver must remain the driver, and the passenger remains the passenger.

This recommendation was approved by Dr. Brad Conner, Cornell University and New York City Site Director for the GeoSentinal Infectious Disease Network for the CDC.

Can practice ranges open?

The MGA understands that practice ranges are allowed to be operated by staff working primarily outdoors as long as the golf facility preparedness plan ensures proper social distancing, restricts gatherings, and implements proper safety and sanitization procedures for range balls, buckets, payment touch points, etc.

Can golf facilities sell alcohol to golfers for consumption on the golf course?

Food and beverage services excluding alcohol may be provided to golfers for takeout or consumption on the course. Please visit this link to a Q&A posted on the Liquor Control Commission website. The Michigan Golf Alliance continues to provide feedback on this this impacts the golf industry specifically.

Can golf shops open for retail sales?

Golf shops may provide curbside pickup for retail following social distancing procedures in EO 2020-77.

5/8/20

The Michigan Golf Alliance has confirmed with the Office of the Governor that Executive Order 2020-77 applies to golf operations in ways including but not limited to the following:

Golf carts are permitted with social distancing.

Work primarily performed outdoors by individuals such as starters, caddies and golf cart staff is permitted.

Golf shops may be open for curbside pickup.

Food and beverage services may be provided to golfers excluding alcohol (LARA link).

Food and beverage may not be served for dine-in.

Section 10.e of Executive Order 2020-77 states:

10. For purposes of this order, workers who perform resumed activities are defined as follows:

e) Subject to the enhanced social-distancing rules described in section 11(i) of this order, workers who perform work that is traditionally and primarily performed outdoors, including but not limited to forestry workers, outdoor power equipment technicians, parking enforcement workers, and outdoor workers at places of outdoor recreation not otherwise closed under Executive Order 2020-69 or any order that may follow from it.

Section 11 of the Executive Order requires specific social distancing and mitigation measures:

11. Businesses, operations, and government agencies that remain open for in-person work must, at a minimum:

a) Develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, consistent with recommendations in Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and available here. Such plan must be available at company headquarters or the worksite.

b) Restrict the number of workers present on premises to no more than is strictly necessary to perform the in-person work permitted under this order.
c) Promote remote work to the fullest extent possible.
d) Keep workers and patrons who are on premises at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible.
e) Require masks to be worn when workers cannot consistently maintain six feet of separation from other individuals in the workplace, and consider face shields when workers cannot consistently maintain three feet of separation from other individuals in the workplace.
f) Increase standards of facility cleaning and disinfection to limit worker and patron exposure to COVID-19, as well as adopting protocols to clean and disinfect in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace.
g) Adopt policies to prevent workers from entering the premises if they display respiratory symptoms or have had contact with a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.
h) Adopt any other social distancing practices and mitigation measures recommended by the CDC.
i) Businesses or operations whose in-person work is permitted under sections 10(c) through 10(e) of this order must also:

Prohibit gatherings of any size in which people cannot maintain six feet of distance from one another.

Limit in-person interaction with clients and patrons to the maximum extent possible, and bar any such interaction in which people cannot maintain six feet of distance from one another.

Provide personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, face shields, and face masks as appropriate for the activity being performed.

Adopt protocols to limit the sharing of tools and equipment to the maximum extent possible and to ensure frequent and thorough cleaning and disinfection of tools, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces.

The Alliance continues to recommend golf facilities reach out to their own legal counsel and local authorities for clarification and questions.

A: Yes, subject to strict conditions as required by this order and Executive Order 2020-43, governing places of public accommodation.

Tee times must be scheduled and payments must be made in advance, online or by phone. Tee times must be spaced to avoid multiple foursomes from clustering or gathering at any stage of the course, and players must remain six feet from one another at all times.

Maintenance workers and groundskeepers can come to work to maintain the safety and sanitation of the course, but neither the course nor its workers may provide goods, supplies, equipment, or services to golfers on premises.

Accordingly, caddies, starters, and golf carts may not be provided, and clubhouses, pro shops, driving ranges, and miniature golf courses must remain closed.

The order, however, does not prohibit a golf course from arranging for an accommodation for a golfer with a disability who requires one under state or federal law; confirmation of and arrangements for any such necessary accommodation must be carried out with the course in advance, online or by phone.

Food and beverage may be sold for takeout, but may not otherwise be served to golfers.

Under the order, all work must be carried out remotely to the greatest extent possible, and any in-person work that is permitted must be done in accordance with the mitigation measures required under section 11 of the order—including the heightened social-distancing rules required under section 11(h).

Section 11. Businesses, operations, and government agencies that remain open for in-person work must adhere to sound social distancing practices and measures, which include but are not limited to:

h. For businesses and operations whose in-person work is permitted under sections 10(c) through 10(e) of this order, the following additional measures must also be taken:

Barring gatherings of any size in which people cannot maintain six feet of distance from one another.

Limiting in-person interaction with clients and patrons to the maximum extent possible, and barring any such interaction in which people cannot maintain six feet of distance from one another.

Providing personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, face shields, and face masks as appropriate for the activity being performed.

Adopting protocols to limit the sharing of tools and equipment to the maximum extent possible and to ensure frequent and thorough cleaning of tools, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces.

The government directives are subject to change. Click here to access all of the executive orders.

Please consider contacting your own legal counsel with any questions or to get more clarity on how the executive order applies to your facility.

PGA CARES Act Town Hall highlights available resources as we all work through the significant challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, we are trying to communicate to all PGA Professionals the resources that have been made available by the Federal Government through the CARES Act.

We invite you to watch this one-hour PGA of AmericaCARES Act Virtual Town Hall (also broken down question-by-question) with Tony Fratto of Hamilton Place Strategies.

PGA of America Covid-19 News

4/13/20
Golf Emergency Relief Fund
In response to the severe challenges impacting golf communities nationwide, the Golf Emergency Relief Fund has been established to provide short-term financial assistance to workers in the golf industry who are the backbone of our sport and face significant financial hardship, including those suffering as a result of COVID-19.

The fund will provide grants to certain industry workers, inclusive of golf association members, employees of local/state golf associations, caddies and certain professionals playing on developmental tours to help offset COVID-19 related financial hardships, such as living and medical expenses. Read more.

To apply for assistance from the Golf Emergency Relief Fund and to find further details, visit relief.golf. Applications will be live as early as Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 2 p.m. ET.

4/7/20The PGA CARES Act Town Hall highlights available resources as we all work through the significant challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, we are trying to communicate to all PGA Professionals the resources that have been made available by the Federal Government through the CARES Act.

We invite you to watch this one-hour PGA of AmericaCARES Act Virtual Town Hall (also broken down question-by-question) with Tony Fratto of Hamilton Place Strategies.

4/2/20Specialized Professional Program
Through June 30, 2020, you can access the Specialized Professional Program (full content library) free of charge. If you previously enrolled in this program, library subscriptions are extended by 90 days to accommodate this free period.

3/30/20Upcoming PGA Dues Procedures

In accordance with tax rules applicable to 501(c) 6 not-for-profit organizations, the PGA of America must collect annual dues. Please note that we will do so under revamped procedures that take into account the significant challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic for our Members and Sections.

PGA Professionals will now have two payment options:

Pay full dues amount any time through July 31, 2020 without penalty or late fee.

Pay Section dues amount only any time through July 31, 2020 without penalty or late fee. Pay National dues ($100), Life ($44), Liability ($12 and MAP ($6) by October 31, 2020 without penalty or late fee.

“During these extraordinarily challenging times for so many PGA Professionals, we have worked closely with our 41 sections to find the best path forward regarding 2020 dues payments,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley.

“While we wish it was possible to waive dues for all members, as a 501(c) 6 not-for-profit organization, IRS regulations do not allow us to take such an action. Please note your PGA Board of Directors has approved delaying the $100 national dues payment until October 31st and is also moving up the annual Section funding payments from late June to April 1st to immediately help the business continuity of the 41 Sections. We understand the incredible pain that is being felt in the field. As you likely know, we are constrained as an Association in many ways by the rules of being a non-profit entity but pledge to continue to explore every avenue possible towards helping our PGA Professionals and Sections through these unprecedented times.”

Based on the fact that Member dues are the lifeblood of our PGA Sections, PGA Professionals who have not paid their Section dues by July 31, 2020 will have to be moved to non-active status.

However, a PGA Professional can still pay Section, National, Life Liability and Member Assistance Program (MAP) by June 30, 2021 to “re-establish” Membership. Given these extraordinary circumstances, the PGA of America will waive any late fee and re-establish membership in full.

If the Section portion is paid by July 31, 2020, but the National, Life, Liability and MAP is not paid by October 31st, 2020, the PGA Professional will have to be moved to non-active status as of October 31, 2020. However, the PGA Professional can still pay National, Life Liability and MAP by June 30, 2021 AND “re-establish” their Membership. The PGA of America will waive any late fee and re-establish membership in full.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the PGA Membership Department directly at 1-800-474-2776.

3/23/20

Playing Ability Test Qualifying Score: While PATs are currently not being conducted, individuals may temporarily submit verification of a handicap index of ten or less, to satisfy the PAT Qualifying Score in order to register as an Associate. This is commensurate with the current parameters of the Qualifying Score, listed in the chart on this page: https://www.pga.org/membership/associate-program/player-ability-test-pat

All individuals who enter in this manner will still need to eventually fully pass the Playing Ability Test to elect into PGA Membership.

Playing Ability Test Validity: As PSI testing centers are currently closed, individuals who cannot test out of the PQ Level in order to register as an Associate will have their eight-year PAT validity extended until such time reasonable to test out and register.

Qualifying Level: Anyone who has a current open Qualifying Level will have six months added to their start date. Anyone who has completed the Qualifying Level and has an open Qualifier Eligible, will have that date extended by six months. Individuals purchasing the Qualifying Level now will be given a nine (9) month window to complete.

PGA Golf Management University Students-PGA Education Staff will work with the Universities directly regarding any needed accommodations within the Criteria and Standards.

Candidate Election Guidelines: The requirement that a Candidate have a nomination and two seconds by August 1, 2020, in order to receive funding from the PGA of America, will be modified to September 1, 2020.

June Core Committee Meetings and PGA Special Awards/Merchandiser of the Year Committee Meetings: The planned June Chicago Committee meetings will not be held in person. Committee Chairs and Committee Members should plan on these meetings being held virtually, on the date scheduled.

MSR Cycle–Extend the MSR cycle deadline from June 15, 2021 to June 15, 2022, for all Members. This is due to a number of MSR activity opportunities – meetings, education, tournaments, player development – that could be postponed or canceled. Additionally, this relieves pressure on Sections and Members to conduct or take part in these activities during this unprecedented time of uncertainty.

Acceptable Progress–Extend the Acceptable Progress deadlines of all PGA Associates by one year. As travel to the PGA Education Center is currently curtailed, PGA Education staff is exploring online opportunities. With uncertainty of testing sites remaining open, this provides flexibility with regard to Associates meeting their deadlines.

PGA Golf Management University Students–14 of our 18 GMU’s have currently cancelled classes and have moved to online delivery. PGA Education Staff will work with the universities directly in regard to needed accommodations within the Criteria and Standards.

PGA Associates–We have cancelled pending seminars at Port St. Lucie through April. 81 individuals were impacted and we are refunding everyone’s registration fee and charging them back at a discounted rate. The team is looking into online options that could be adopted in the future. Teaching & coaching and Executive Management is offered on a quarterly basis and therefore have not been impacted.